Device for positioning loopers of sewing machines for threading



S. G. TATE. DEVICE FOR POSITIONING LOOPERS 0F sewmc MACHINES FOR THBEADING.

AFPLICA'HON FILED DEC-1B. I91]- s snzns-suzzr I.

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DEVICE FOR POSlTIQNlNG LOOPERS 0F SEWING MACHJNES FOR THREADING. 'APPLICATION FILED 0mm. m1.

1 ,3 1 6,400. Patented Sept. 16, 1919 8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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s. 6. m5. IIEVICE FOR POSITIONING LOOPEBS 0F SEWING MACHINES FOB'II'IREADING-. 1,316,400. PatentedSept. 16,1919;

APPLICATION FILED DEC- HI. I917.

S. G. TATE.

DEVICE FOR POSITIONING LOOPERS 0F SEWING MACHINES FOR THREADING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. III. ISII.

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Q I y 4; =14 N 4 N BM I g I R; & amut y 3.22. 333: l hmaixm m g (Irmas s. e. TATE. v DEVICE FOR POSITIONING LOOPERS 0F SEWING MACHINES FOR THREADING. '1

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I8. 1911'. I

PatentedSept. 1 6, 191.9.

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anmntm S. G. TATE. DEVICE FOR POSITIONING LOGPERS 0F SEWING MACHINES FOR THREADING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. I9!!- 1,316',400. Patented Sept. 1 1919.

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o m 8 i f k H I IN I I3 i ,3 i f I? Q H 1 *o 3] noentoi S. G. TATE., DEVICE FOR rosmonma LOOPERS or sewme MACHINES FOR ftmmome. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. 1917.

1,316,400. Patented se t. 16, 1919.

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S. G. TATE. DEVICE FOR- POSl-UONING LOOPERS 0F SEWING MACHINES FOR 'THREADING, APPLICATION mm 05c. I8. 191:.

1,31 6,400. PatentedSept. 16,1919.

I 8 SH HEET 8.

SETS-S anmntoz STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL GEORGE TATE, or cnrceeo, ILLmoIs, sssrenon 'ro Union srncmr. un'cnnm comrm. or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A conronarmn or ILLmoIs.

DEVICE FOR POSITIONING LOOPERS OF SEWING-MACHINES FOB THBEADING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application filed December 18, 1917. Serial No. 207,677.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL GEORGE TATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Positioning Loopers of Sewing-Machines for Thread ing, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of. reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewing machines and more particularly to the devices for moving the looper from its normal operating position to a position at one side of the throat plate to facilitate threading of the looper.

Prior to my invention devices have been provided for locking the main operating shaft and for shifting the looper carrier to position the looper for threading. Devices have also been provided for locking the opcrating shaft and for releasing the latch which holds the looper carrier in place for normal operation for-permitting the looper carrier to be engaged by hand and moved laterally thereby to threading position. An object of the'present invention is to provide means for locking the shaft against movement, for releasing the latch which holds the looper carrier in operative position on its support and for shifting the looper carrier laterally to threading position, all of which may be accomplished by a single manually operated member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine having an opening at one side of the throat plate, a plurality of loopers arranged side by side and parallel with the line of feed and means accessible at the front of the work support for locking the driving shaft of the machine against 'movement and for moving the loopers laterally beneath the opening for threading.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for locking the manually ated member and said'carrier is' returned to normal operating position by a spring.

These and other objects will in part be obvlous and will in part be hereinafter more fully described. I

In the drawings, which show by wayv of illustration one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 ---is a front view of a sewing machine having my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view ofa portion of the machine, showing the work support and throat plate in section and the parts beneath the machine in front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in plan showing the parts beneath the work support with the loopers in normal operating position and the manually oper-' ated member locked in idle position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showmg the manually operated lever released and swung sufiiciently to lock the main shaft and to release the latch which holds the looper carrier;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the manually operated lever swung so as to position the loopers underneath the opening in the work support where they may be easily threaded;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the work support showing the slide thrown back to uncover the opening through which the loopers are threaded and showing a portion of the work support broken away and the the looper carrier, the looper support, the

feed bar, the feed dog carried thereby, the needle and the presserfoot, the looper being in normal operating position;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but show ing the latch released sothatthe looper car rier may be moved endwise to threading position; and

.Fig. .10 is a; sectional view through the locking sleeve on the main shaft.

My invention is particularly adapted for a sewing machine having a thread carrying looper coiiperating with the needle for forming double locked chain stitches. The thread carrying looper is mounted on a carrier which is, in turn, mounted on a carrier support. The carrier is connected to the support so that it-is capable of endwise movement on the support but is always oscillated with the support. A latch operates to hold the carrier with the looper in normal position to coiiperate with the needle.

My improvement consists in the means for releasing the latch, locking the machine against movement and for sliding the looper carrier to position where the looper may be readily reached for threading. In the present embodiment of the invention the devices for accomplishing this function include a hand operated lever which is normally out of engagement with a locking collar on the main shaft and which when swung engages said locking collar to hold the shaft from turning. This hand operated lever is also connected to a sliding collar whichhas a limited lost motion on the looper carrier so that the first movement of the lever which brings about the locking of the shaft also releases the latch and a further movement of the lever moves the carrier to bring the looper to threading position. A spring normally holds the looper carrier in operative position, and returns the looper carrier to operative position when the hand lever is swung back again to idle or non-locking position. A locking dog is used for securing the hand lever in idle position so as to prevent the same from being accidentally engaged with the main shaft.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 1 have shown my invention as applied to a machine having a work support 1, a bed plate 2, carrying an overhanging arm 3 in which a needle bar 4. reciproc'ates. The needle bar isreciprocated by a lever 5 which is oscillated by an eccentric strap 6, coiiperating with an eccentric on the main shaft 7.

' The needle bar, as herein shown, is provided with two needles 8 and 9, The material is held on the work support by a presser foot 10 which is of the usual construction. The material is fed across the work support by a feed dog 11 carried by a feed bar 12 which is also of the usual construction and is operated so as to impart the desired movements to the feed dog.

Coiiperating with the needle 8 beneath the work support is a thread carrying looper 13 and coiiperating with the needle 9 is a thread carrying looper 14. It will be understood that a single needle and looper may be used or more t an two needlm and cooperating loopers may be used. The number of needles and coiiperating loopers has nothing to do with my invention except that when the number of loopers are multiplied and arranged in the line of feed the difficulties in threading the loopers are increased. My invention is directed particularly to this type of, machine and means for shifting the loopers to a osition where they may be easily reached or threading.

The loopers 13 and 14 are mounted on a looper carrier 15. This looper carrier is in turn mounted on a looper carrier support 16. The support 16 is in the form of a shaft mounted in suitable bearings carried by the bed late 2. This looper carrier support is oscil ated through a suitable link and a crank at the forward end of the main shaft 7 as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, wherein the crank is indicated at 17 and the link, which is moved thereby, at 18. The looper carrier support 16 is also moved endwise so that the looper may be moved laterally for its needle avoiding movement. This is accomplished by means of a sleeve 19 which is secured to the inner end of the looper support 16. A rod 20 is attached to said sleeve and this rod is connected by a link 21 to a rock lever 22. The rock lever 22 is in turn connected to an eccentric strap 23 coiiperating with an eccentric on the main shaft 7. These devices for oscillating the looper carrier support and for moving the same endwise are well known in the art andform no part of the present invention.

The looper carrier 15 consists of two spaced collars 15 and 15 which are connected by bars 24 and 25. The bar 25 projects laterally from the collars and is formed with a lot 26. The loopers 13 and 14 are attached to this slotted bar by suitable screws 27. lhe collars 15 and 15 are free on the looper support 16. Clamped to the looper support. 16 is another collar 28 which has a laterally projecting forked portion 29 which straddles the bar 24 (see Fig. 7). The bar 24 is capable of sliding endwise in the forked extension 29 but this collar 28 with its forked extension through its connection with the bar 24 prevents the looper carrier from oscillat- ,the extension 29. Said latch is carried by a pivot screw 31 and a spring 82=surrounding this pivot screw serves to "force the latch so as to hold its locking lip 33 in engagement with a shoulder as on the collar'ifi". When the parts are in thisposition the carrier is locked both as to sidewise movement and Oscillating movement to the carrier support 16 and will oscillate with the support and move laterally as the support moves endwise.

The work support of themachine is indicated at 1 in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Said work support carries a throat plate .35 having feed slots 36through which the feed dog llpperates. Said throat plate also has needle openings37 through which the needles operate. The loopers move in a vertical plane containing the line of feed andare during their entire movement beneath the throat plate so that it is very diflicult to thread the same when in their operative position. The work support is provided with an opening 38 t one side of the throat plate and this opening is closed by a cover plate 39. 1 When the latch 30 is released the looper carrier may be moved endwise on the looper carrier support 16 so as to bring the loopers into the opening 38, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. When so positioned they are readily accessible to the operator for threading.

The means for moving the looper carrier and for releasing the latch includes a hand lever 40 which is mounted on a fulcrum post 41 so that it may be swung about the same in a horizontal plane. This hand lever performs the functions of locking the main shaft against movement as well as releasing the latch and shifting the looper carrier. The

locking of the main shaft is accomplished by means of an extension 42 on the hand lever engaging a notch 43 in a collar 44 fixed to the main shaft 7. When-t e hand lever 40 is in the position shown in ig. 3, the extension 42 is free from the notch so that the main shaft may rotate. When this hand lever is shifted even to a slight extent, as for cxample,= to the position shown in Fig. 4, the extension will enter the slot and prevent the shaft 7 from rotating until the extension is withdrawn from the slot. Of course, the machine will have to be stopped or the shaft 7 turned to bring the slot 43 into position to be engaged by the extension 42 before the hand lever can be swung. In other words, the extension 42 lies close to the outer surface of the collar 44 and as this extension extends at an angle to a plane at right angles to the main shaft and passing through the center of the fulcrum post 41, any movement of the hand lever to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, will be prevented by the extension 42 engaging the outer face of the collar 44. When, however,'the slot is in register with this extension then the hand lever may be moved. The looper carrier15 has a sleeve 45 extending therefrom and this sleeve surrounds the looper carrier support 16. The sleeve is formed with an integral collar 46 at the outer end. Mounted to slide on this sleeve is a ring 47. The ring 47 is pivoted between the ends of a yoke 48 formed The ring .47 is considerably less in width than the distance between the collar 46 and the collar 15 of the looper carrier so that this ring has alost motion or idle movement on the sleeve 45. The ring has an extending finger 51 whichis adapted to engage the latch 30. The latch 30 is formed with atapered projection 52 which isadapted to be engaged by this finger 5-1. When the lever 4O is turned from the position shownin Fig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. 4, the ring. 47 slides on the sleeve 45 to a point substantially in contact with the collar 46 and during this movement on the ring the finger 51 will engage the tapered projection 52, and move the latch 30 back so as to release the looper carrier. A further movement of the hand lever 40 to the position shown in Fig. 5, will cause the ring 47 to engage the collar 46 and move the looper carrier 15 on the looper carrier support 16, bringing the loopers to a position beneath the opening 38 in the work suport. p A spring 53 encircles the looper carrier 16 and is partly housed in the bearing 54 for the looper carrier 16. This spring bears against the end of the sleeve 45 and normally tends to move the carrier to the left ass-viewed in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive. When the hand lever 40 is moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 5, the spring will force the carrier to the left, holding the collar 46 against the ring 47 until the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 4. At this point the carrier has been brought back to its normal operative position and an further movement of the hand lever to t e position shown in-Fig. 3 releases the latch so as to lock the carrier to the carrier support 16 and this brings the ring 47 back away from the collar 46.

As a means for preventing accidental movement of the hand lever 40 and also for holding the carrier with the loopers in threading position, I have provided a looking dog 55 which is adapted to engage either the notch 56 or the notch 57 in the fulcrum post 41 on which the lever 40 turns.- When this lockingxdog 55 which is pressed forward by a spring 58, engages the notch 56, it will lock the lever against movement and at this time the looper carrier is held with the loopers in osition for threading. When this locking 0g engages the notch 57, as shown in Fig. 3'then the lever 40 is locked and the looper carrier is positioned for the normal operation of the loopers and at this scription. The machine is brought to..a stop or turn so that the groove 43 is in register with the extension 42 on the hand lever At this time the loopers are retracted, are out of the needle loops and. free from striking the needle, ii moved sidewise. A movement of the hand lever locks the machine so that it cannot be turned and at the same time releases the latch which holds the looper carrier to the looper carrier support. A further movement of the hand lever causes the looper carrier to slide endwise on the looper carrier support, bringing the loopers beneath the opening in the work support and to position for threading. After the loopers have been threaded the operator moves the hand lever in the opposite direction which permits the looper carrier to be returned to normal operative position for the loopers. This releases the latch and the main shaft so that the machine may be started.

It will be apparent that the locking of the machine, the releasing of the looper carrier and the movement of the looper carrier laterally to bring the looper-s to threading position. is all brought about through a single lever moving in one direction.

It will be noted from the above that I have also provided a machine having an opening at one side of the throat plate and a plurality of loopers located: side by side and movable in: lines parallel with the line of feed and also means acmessibleat the front of the work support whereby the main shaft may be locked, the looper carrier released from its support and the 'loopers moved beneath the opening her threading, and this can only be accomplished when the loopers are withdrawn from; the needle loops and positioned: so that they may be readily moved laterally.

It is obvious that minor changes inthe details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth intheappended claims.

Having thusdeseribed my invention, what I\ claim as new and desine to secure by Lettens Patent, is

1. A sewm machine including in combination a nee le, a thread carrying looper cooperating with said needle, a looper carrier on which the looper is mounted,.alooper carrier support, means for operating the looper carrier support for imparting movements to the looper, retaining means for securing the carrier to its support, a manually operatedmember, devices operated by said memberfor locking the carrier support against movement, for releasing theretaining means and for moving the looper carrier on its support to place the. looper in position for threading.

aareaoo nation, a needle, a thread carrying-looper cooperatin with said needle, a looper carrier on w ich the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for operating the looper carrier support for imparting movements to the looper, retaining means for securing the carrier to its support, a manually operated member, devices operated by said member for locking the carrier support against movement, for releasing the retaining means, and for moving the looper carrier on its support to place the looper in position for threading, and means for locking said manually operated member with the looper in normal position for cooperating with the needle.

3. A sewing machine including in combination, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperating with said needle, a looper carrier on which the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for operating the looper carrier support for imparting movements to the looper, retaining means for securing the carrier to its support, a manually operated member, devices operatedby said member for locking the carrier support against movement, for releasing the retaining means and for moving the looper carrier on its support toplace the looper in position for threading, yielding means for returning the looper to the normal operating position.

4. A sewing machine including in combination, a needle, a thread carrying looper coiiperating with said needle, a looper carrier on which the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for operating the looper carrier support tor imparting movements to the looper, retaining means for securing the carrier to its support, a manually operated member, devices operated by said. member for locking the carrier support against movement, for releasing the retaining means and for moving the looper carrier on its support to place the looper in position for threading, yielding means for returning the looper to-thenormal operating position, and means for lock-in said manually operated member with t e looper in position fior threading.

A sewing machine including in combination, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperating with said needle, a looper carrier on Whichthe looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for operating the looper carrier support for imparting movements to the looper, a latch for securing the carrier to its support, a manually operated lever having means for locking. the looper carnier support against movement and devices operated by said lever forreleasing the latch and for moving the looper carrier on its support to place the looper in position forthreading.

bination, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperati with said needle, a looper carrier on ivfiu'ch the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for operating the looper carrier support for imparting movements to the looper, a latch forsecun ing the carrier to its support, a'manually operated lever having means for locking the looper carrier support against movement and devices operated by said lever for releasing the latch and for moving the looper carrier on its support to place the looper in position for threading, and a spring for returning the looper carrier to normal operative'position.

7. A sewing machine including in combination, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperating with said needle, a looper carrier on which the looper is mounted, a looper carrier-support, means for-operating the looper carrier support for imparting movements to the looper, a latch for securing the carrier to its support, a manually operated lever having means for locking the looper carrier support against movement, and devices operated by said lever for releasing the latch and for moving the looper carrier on its support to place the looper in position for threading, .a spring for returning the looper carrier to normal opera-tive sition and means for locking the operating lever with the looper m position for threading.

8. A sewing machine including in combination, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperating with said needle, a looper carrier on which the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for operating the looper carrier support for imparting movements to the looper, a latch for securing the carrier to -1t s support, a manually operaltcd lever having means for looking the looper carrier support against movement, and devices 0 erated by sald lever for releasing the late and for moving the looper carrier on itssupportto place the looper in sition for thread ng, a spring for returning the looper carrier to normal operative position and means for locking the operating lever with the looper 1n position for threading, and for locking the lever from movement when the looner is in normal operative position.

9. A sewing machine 1nclud1ng.1n= com--. hination, a main shaft, a tIi 1wfi&', %hthrEa ;g car 'n 100 r coopera 'w1 --sa needliaj loope carrier on which the looper. is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for oscillating said carrier support and-for moving the same endwise for imparting the proper movements to the loo er, means for,

. causing the carrier to osci ate with-the carrier support, said means permitting the carrier to move endwise on the support, a

movement on the support-when the looper is in position for coiiperation with the needle, a hand lever, said hand lever having means for engaging and locking the main shaft agaanst movement, devices operated by said hand lever for releasing said latch and for mov ng said can er endwise onthe looper carrier support to threading position.

10. A sewing'machine including in combmati on, a main shaft, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperatin with said needle, a looper carrier on which the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means vgroove therein, said hand lever having an extension adapted to engage said groove and lock! the machine against movement while the looper carrier is moved away from operatlve position, said collar being so'positloned relative to the extension as to prevent movement of the hand lever until said extension is in register with said groove,

11. A sewing machine including in combmation, a main shaft, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperating with said needle, a looper carrier onwhich the looper is-mounted, a looper carrier support, means for oscillating said carrier support and for moving the same endwise for imparting the proper movements to the looper, means for causing the carrier to oscillate with the carrier support, said means permitting the carrier to move endwise on the support, a

latch for holding the carrier from endwise movement on the support when the'looper 1s in position for cooperation with the needle, a hand lever, a sleeve carried by the looper carrier, a collar on said sleeve, a ring, a finger carried by said ring and adapted to engage said latch, said ring having a freemovement on said sleeve so as to release the latch before moving the carrier endwise, and ,a link for connecting the hand lever to said ring.

12. A sewing machine including in combination, a main shaft, a needle, a thread carryin looper cooperating with said needle, a looper carrier on which the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for oscillating said carrier support and for moving the same endwise for imparting the proper movements to the looper, means for causing latch for holding the carrier from endwise the carrier to oscillate with the carrier support, said means permitting the carrier to move endwise on the support, a latch for holding the carrier from endwise movement on the support when the looper is in position, for cooperation with the needle, :1 and lever, a sleeve carried by the looper carrier, a collar on said sleeve, a ring, a finger carried by said ring and adapted to engage said latch, said ring havin a free movement on said sleeve so as to re ease the latch before moving the carrier endwise, a link for connecting the hand lever to said ring, a spring for engaging the carrier and for returning the same to normal operative position.

13. A sewing machine including in combination, a main shaft, a needle, a thread carrying looper cooperatin with said needle, a looper carrier on 'w ich the looper is mounted, a looper-carrier support, means for oscillating said carrier support and for moving the same endwise for imparting the proper movements to the looper, means for causing the carrier to oscillate with the carrier support, said means permitting the carrier to move endwise on the support, a latch for holdin the carrier from endwise movement on t e support when the looper is in position for cooperation with the needle, a 89 hand lever, a sleeve carried by the looper carrier, a collar on said sleeve, a ring, a fin-- ger carried by said ring and adapted to engage said latch, said ring havin a free movement on said sleeve so as to re ease the latch before moving the carrier endwise, a link-for connecting the hand lever to said ring, said hand lever having means for looking the machine against movement when the looperis movedfrom operative position.

as A 14. -'A sewing machine including in combination, a main shaft, a needle, a thread carryinglooper cooperatin with said needle, a looper carrier on w ich the looper is mounted, a looper carrier support, means for oscillating said carrier support and for movingvthe same endwise for imparting the proper movements to the looper, means for causing the carrier to oscillate with the carrier support, said means ermltting the carrier to move endwise on e support, a latch for holding the carrier from endwise movement on the support when the looper is in position for cooperation with the needle, a

hand lever, a sleeve carried by the looper carrier, a collar on said sleeve, a ring, a 'finger carried by said ring and adapted to engage said latch, said ring having a free movement on said sleeve so as to release the latch before movingthe carrier endwise, a link for connecting the hand lever to said 60 ring, a spring for engaging the carrier and for returning the same to normal operative position, said hand lever having means for locking the machine against movement when the looper is moved away from operativefifi position.

15. A sewing machine including in combination, a driving shaft, a feeding mechanism, a work support having a throat plate, an opening at one side of the throat plate, a plurality of needles, a looper cooperatin with each needle, "a looper carrier for sai loopers, said loopers being placed side by side and moving respectively inlines arallel with the line of feed, and means inc uding a lever beneath the work support and accessible at the front of the machine for locking-the driving shaft against movement, for releasing the looper carrier from its support and for moving the looper carrier laterally to position the loopers beneath the opening in the work sup ol't for threading.

16. A sewing mac ine including in combination, a driving shaft, a feedingv mechanism, a work support having a throat plate and an o ening at one side of the throat plate, a p urality of needles, a looper cooperating with each needle, a looper carrier for said loopers, said loo ers being placed side by side and movab e res actively in lines parallel with the line of fee and means beneath the work support and accessible at the front of the machine for locking the driving shaft, for releasing the looper carrier from its support and for moving the looper carrier to position the loopers underneath the opening in the work support, said means including a lever moving in a single plane.

In testimony whereof afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL GEORGE TATE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. WOLF, Josnrn BERGER. 

